I've been learning about systems theory for about five years now, and I've been frustrated by the same things, but I've come through them to something which I think provides a path forward.
I think changes which lead to positive progress are hard, and the bigger the problem or the higher up Meadows's leverage list, the harder the changes are. Cognitive dissonance and sunk cost thinking and other cognitive biases do increase the challenge as well. But I do see examples where I and others were able to make positive changes from our understanding of systems theory. I see making these changes as a marathon, not a sprint, so try to adopt an attitude of celebrating every step of the way ("dayenu"), and I also look to work like Nancy Leveson's[0], which tries to systematize the process of turning a systems understanding into actionable feedback.
It's often perceived to be the case that earlier interventions would have led to fewer losses, but it's important to adopt an understanding that the past is past, and all we can do to move forward is to change our behavior now. As the man says, the best time to plant a tree is twenty years ago, but the second-best time is today.
I have that book. It is were I learned the term "socio-technical system". It is a great book and I recommend it to people whenever I get the chance. It is also much more than just safety engineering and is one of the more clearer expositions of cybernetic systems that I've read.
I think changes which lead to positive progress are hard, and the bigger the problem or the higher up Meadows's leverage list, the harder the changes are. Cognitive dissonance and sunk cost thinking and other cognitive biases do increase the challenge as well. But I do see examples where I and others were able to make positive changes from our understanding of systems theory. I see making these changes as a marathon, not a sprint, so try to adopt an attitude of celebrating every step of the way ("dayenu"), and I also look to work like Nancy Leveson's[0], which tries to systematize the process of turning a systems understanding into actionable feedback.
It's often perceived to be the case that earlier interventions would have led to fewer losses, but it's important to adopt an understanding that the past is past, and all we can do to move forward is to change our behavior now. As the man says, the best time to plant a tree is twenty years ago, but the second-best time is today.
[0]: https://mitpress.mit.edu/books/engineering-safer-world